Lanistar’s founder is unphased by past obstacles as the company pivots toward growth in Latin America and Europe.
Building Lanistar: From Ambition to Reality
It was the classic startup dream: a handful of young entrepreneurs crammed into a small office, big ideas scribbled on whiteboards, and an unshakeable vision to change the future of digital banking. In 2019, that dream became Lanistar, a fintech company built from sheer grit and audacity. Like Jeff Bezos starting Amazon in a garage or Bill Gates crafting software in a small suburban space, Gurhan Kiziloz and his team were out to prove something: that banking could be as intuitive and personalized as the smartphone in your pocket.
Peaks, Pitfalls, and Lessons Learned
The road since then has been anything but smooth. Lanistar has faced more than its fair share of challenges: County Court Judgments (CCJs), bailiff visits, winding-up petitions, and even an FCA warning in 2020 that cast doubts on the company’s legitimacy. Critics were quick to label Lanistar a failed experiment, a flashy brand that couldn’t deliver.
Yet here we are, five years later, in late 2024, and the company is still standing. Most recently, Lanistar faced a winding-up petition from its landlord over unpaid rent—a case that could have been the death knell for a less resilient startup. Instead, the High Court dismissed the petition, and Kiziloz made sure to settle the outstanding funds. It was a win, but not just in the legal sense; it symbolized something deeper about Lanistar’s survival instincts.
“This petition dismissal is just another victory for us,” Kiziloz told me. “We’ve survived it all—every doomsday prediction—and we’re more focused than ever on what comes next.”
The Market Strategy: LATAM and Beyond
For Lanistar, what comes next is an ambitious push into Latin America and a renewed focus on the UK market. Latin America, with its high unbanked population, is fertile ground for fintech innovation. Brazil has already been a promising start, where Lanistar’s offerings aim to bring financial access to millions who have never had it. The region’s appetite for digital banking is insatiable, driven by a young, mobile-first population ready to skip traditional banking altogether.
The European market presents a different challenge: it’s mature, competitive, and highly regulated. But Lanistar sees an opportunity in Europe’s growing preference for hyper-personalized, tech-driven financial services. In both regions, Kiziloz’s strategy is to outmaneuver traditional banks by meeting modern consumers’ expectations for speed, flexibility, and customization.
Why Gurhan Kiziloz Won’t Quit
Interviewing Kiziloz, it’s clear he isn’t just a fintech CEO; he’s a fighter. His persistence isn’t just admirable—it’s contagious. “The doomsayers have been predicting our downfall for years,” he said, “but under my watch, we’re not going anywhere but up.” It’s easy to see how his confidence has become a cornerstone for Lanistar’s culture. With over £20 million invested in the company, Kiziloz remains fiercely optimistic about the future.
A Vision for the Future
As Lanistar enters its next chapter, it’s clear that Kiziloz’s team has a renewed sense of purpose. The company plans to double down on its digital-first banking services while embracing cryptocurrency and other innovations to stay ahead of the curve. The fintech world will be watching—and, if history is any indication, Lanistar will keep surprising us.
In the high-stakes world of fintech, the odds are rarely in your favor. But for Lanistar, survival isn’t just about luck; it’s about the relentless pursuit of a vision that started with a few guys in a room and is now aiming to change banking for millions worldwide.
